Jaws of God
by Grand Phoenix
Summary: This will be the last time Asuka Langley-Sohryu will think ill of Shinji Ikari. Semi-AU. Episode 16; Asuka-centric.


**Disclaimer :** All characters and places belong to Hideaki Anno, ©1995-2008.

_A/N: A slightly different take on Episode 16 through the eyes of our favorite (or hated) red-headed German. It came to me while I was skimming through author** YamiPaladinofChaos'**__ oneshots. Since I've tried my hand at epics and short stories, I decided to tackle my first drabble. The horror genre may be a bit ineffective, but I do hope it churns out the expected results. If blood and guts (as is mentioned in the story) does not suit well with you, please press the back button._

_Overall, please enjoy. Concrit is welcomed, as always._

* * *

**Jaws of God**

* * *

_"Men talk of 'finding God', but no wonder it is difficult; He is hidden in that darkest-hiding  
place, your heart. You yourself are a part of him."_  
-- Christopher Morley

_"I am a world before I am a man__  
I was a creature before I could stand_  
_I will remember before I forget  
Before I forget that!"_  
-- Slipknot, "Before I Forget"

* * *

The Fell Ones  
Walk Among Us  
In Dreadful Silence.  
Unbeknownst They Tread  
In Withered Darkness  
Remembering What Was Once Lost  
But Was Never Truly Found.  
Round And Round They Go  
In Circles They Shall Go  
Dimensions Unrequited  
And Shadows Untouched.  
They Shall Overcome  
And Be Overcome  
But To What Extent Shall They Be Done?  
None But The Wicked Doth Know.

* * *

Asuka Langley-Sohryu slammed her fists on the dashboard, her brow crinkled and blue eyes gleaning like chips of frozen steel. "That idiot! That moron! Trying to play fucking hero at a time like this!"

_'What makes him so great? What makes him so much better than us?'_ she mused darkly. He had to run in blindly shooting at that floating ball of an Angel. Did he think he could take it down just because he had a high synch rate?

It was supposed to be her. _She_ was supposed to be the hero! She was Asuka the German, Asuka the Reckless, Asuka the Warrior. He was Shinji the Coward, Shinji the Baka, Shinji the Pessimist.

_'You fool.'_

Trapped in the Dirac Sea with two minutes left before Unit 01's battery power drained completely . . .

_'I hope you die.'_

The World Does Not End With You.

Radio chatter crackled to life. Asuka heard Misato over the white noise, saying it was time to prep up for the countdown. The fiery girl snorted and unsheathed the Magoroku-E Sword from Unit 02's back.

"Finally," she huffed. She gave the Eva-sized blade a few lazy twirls. Not too far away, Unit 00 crouched low in a ready stance, positron assault rifle at hand.

No words were exchanged between the two. There was no need to, because at that moment a loud rumble shook Tokyo-3 to its foundations.

"What the hell?!" Asuka cried. With one hand she plunged it into an abandoned building and with the other she slammed the _katana_ into the ground. The world exploded in brimstone and hellfire as the crack made its course toward the looming shadow of the twelfth Angel.

Leliel's white stripes stretched and shrunk, rippled like the waves of a tumultuous tide and jumped with the eccentricity of lightning. Its design vanished, leaving the creature as a black void in the sky.

_'What's happening?!'_ the Second Child's mind worked, frantically processing the situation. The quake resided, and the cries of startled birds broke the eerie silence.

Reports were flying in fast over the communications board, one being a heated discussion between Misato and Dr. Akagi.

"Could that be Shinji?" exclaimed the Major.

"Impossible! Unit 01's battery power is at zero!" came the reply.

_'She's right! That can't be Shinji. Shinji's a coward! He always runs away from everything! He's a nobody!'_ But Asuka couldn't help the doubt and dread gnawing at the very fibers of those thoughts. It was as if they wanted, needed, this escape, escape into the world and wreak havoc among their vessel. To tear down the thin layer of reality and warp it to their satisfaction. . .

_Round And Round They Go In Circles They Shall Go Dimensions Unrequited And Shadows Untouched._

_('You're so self-destructive!')_

She swallowed the lump--

_SPLASH!!_

-- Unit 01's hand emerged, slick and bloody--

_They Shall Overcome And Be Overcome--_

-- and Asuka's heart leapt back in her throat.

Gore poured in fountains and innards frothed and boiled from the Angel's body. Bit by bit the Eva tore, digging into the feral blackness and ripping it apart as if it were nothing more than sheets of construction paper. Large square fingers gripped at the crevasse it made and, with its horn protruding from the sanguine entrance, pulled with all its might.

_-- But To What Extent Shall They Be Done?_

_(There was blood so much blood it was nauseating and terrifying and the universe was falling away with every cut slash tear swipe rip he made and by gods how is he capable of such a thing?)_

Unit 01, freed from its endless prison, tossed its head back and let loose a thunderous roar. Before long its legs burst out and even sooner did the heavens bleed red and rained down upon Tokyo-3.

Asuka watched, horrified and fascinated, as the Eva spread out its arms and strained its neck to the sky. Its jaws opened to the taste of the fallen angel, and from it came a deep and lustful moan.

"That's not him . ." she murmured. The Second Child shook her head. "No . . . no, it can't be. That's not Shinji at all . . ."

_'But it is him,'_ said the voice in her mind. _'It is the same Shinji Ikari you gloat upon and look down upon. It is the same Shinji Ikari who constantly apologizes and runs away from his problems. It is the same Shinji Ikari who pilots Unit 01 and fights the Angels head-on._

_'Look at him. Look at how he is drenched with life, how he revels in the death of his enemy. What do you think drives him to this madness? What do you think gives him the strength to bring down the Gods Themselves?'_

She could not, would not answer. Dread burdened her shoulders and lay etched upon her face. Her fingers loosened their hold on the controls, the bridge activity and a flurry of expletives over the comm. board muffled background noise.

Asuka Langley-Sohryu stared, and Unit 01fixed her judgment from glowing, hollow eyes.

"My God. Shinji . . ."

_(YES)_

_None But The Wicked Doth Know._


End file.
